Compensation case for atomic bomb test survivors receives boost

Ex-servicemen who were involved in British atomic bomb tests have received a boost in their bid to secure compensation.

According to reports in the Observer, the secret diary of a senior Royal Navy officer who was on board the destroyer vessel HMS Diana during the 1950s tests has been found.

In the journal, the officer is said to express concerns over the safety of the men on the ship.

He expresses misgivings that inadequate training and equipment meant that the servicemen - who were sent into the zone of an atomic test in the South Pacific - were exposed to an "omnipresent" and "dangerous" risk of radioactive poisoning.

This contradicts the government's position that the tests had no adverse health effects on the men involved.

Later this month, the high court will hear a compensation claim against the Ministry of Defence - which operates with an annual budget exceeding £30 billion.

Survivors of the crew claim to have suffered from a range of illnesses, such as cataracts, cancer and lung disorders.